1Biology and anatomy

2Phylogeny
3Paleontology
4References
5External links

Biology and anatomy[edit]

Like those of other cnidarians, the individual polyps have a cylindrical body crowned by a ring of
tentacles surrounding the mouth. The mouth leads into a tubular pharynx which descends for some
distance into the body before opening into the gastrovascular cavity that fills the interior of the body
and tentacles. Unlike other cnidarians, however, the cavity is subdivided by a number of radiating
partitions, ormesenteries. The gonads are also located within the cavity walls.[2]
All cnidarian species can feed by catching prey with nematocysts; sea anemones are capable of
catching fish and corals of catchingplankton. Some of the species also harbour a type
of algae, dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae, in a symbiotic relationship; the reef building corals
known as hermatypic corals rely on this symbiotic relationship particularly. The zooxanthellae benefit
by using nitrogenous waste and carbon dioxide produced by the host or, and the cnidarian gains
photosynthetic capability and increased calcium carbonateproduction in hermatypic corals.[3]
Anemones and certain species of coral live in isolation; however, most corals form colonies of
genetically identical polyps. These closely resemble anemones in structure, although they are
generally much smaller. Stony coral are found in most seas.

Phylogeny[edit]
Hexacorallia

Actiniaria
Antipatharia
Corallimorpharia
Scleractinia
Zoantharia

Octocorallia

Alcyonacea
Helioporacea
Pennatulacea

Ceriantharia

Penicilaria
Spirularia

Phylogeny of Anthozoa[4]

Giant green anemone, likelyAnthopleura xanthogrammica, SouthernCalifornia.

Anthozoa is subdivided into three subclasses Octocorallia, Hexacorallia and Ceriantharia which
form monophyletic groups and generally show reflections on symmetry of polyp structure
respectively.[4] Historically Ceriantipatharia was thought to be a separate subclass but the
two orders it comprised, Antipatharia is now considered part of Hexacorallia and Ceriantharia an
independent subclass. The extant orders are shown to the right.[4][5]
Hexacorallia includes coral reef builders the stony corals (Scleractinia), sea anemones (Actiniaria),
and zoanthids (Zoantharia). Genetic studies of ribosomal DNA has shown Ceriantharia to be
a monophyletic group and the oldest, or basal, order among them.[6]
Classification according to the World Register of Marine Species :[7]

subclass Hexacorallia

order Actiniaria sea anemones

order Antipatharia black coral

order Ceriantharia ceriantharians

order Corallimorpharia corralimorphs

order Rugosa

order Scleractinia stony corals

order Zoantharia zoanthids

subclass Octocorallia

order Alcyonacea soft corals and gorgonians

order Helioporacea blue corals

order Pennatulacea pennatules

Octocorallia comprises the sea pens (Pennatulacea), soft corals (Alcyonacea), and blue coral
(Helioporacea). Sea whips and sea fans, known as gorgonians, are part of Alcyonacea and
historically were divided into separate orders.[5]
Ceriantharia comprises the related tube-dwelling anemones. Tube-dwelling anemones or cerianthids
look very similar to sea anemones, but belong to an entirely different subclass of anthozoans. They
are solitary, living buried in soft sediments. Tube anemones live and can withdraw into tubes, which

are made of a fibrous material, which is made from secreted mucus and threads of nematocyst-like
organelles, known as ptychocysts.

Nemanthus annamensis, an Actiniaria

Cirrhipathessp., anAntipatharia

Cerianthus filiformis, aCeriantharia

Amplexidiscus fenestrafer, a Corallimorpharia

Acropora cervicornis, aScleractinia

Zoanthus mantoni, aZoantharia

Sarcophyton trocheliophorum, anAlcyonacea

Leptogorgia sarmentosa, aGorgoniidae

Heliopora coerulea, anHelioporacea

Ptilosarcus gurneyi, aPennatulacea

Paleontology[edit]